Scholars for Peace in the Middle East

in the 2022-23 fiscal year, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (spme) has been engaged in an ongoing traveling lecture series, "the new campus battleground: anti-israelism and anti-semitism in academia", which sends spme speakers to campuses nationwide, and enlists faculty members and other speakers from the hosting campuses to appear on the panels, as well. in addition, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East continues to participate in international forums such as the association for the study of the Middle East and africa (asmea), the association of israel studies, and the american israel public affairs committee (aipac). Further, spme continues its active participation in the study abroad to israel program in the California state university system. Scholars for Peace in the Middle East also continues its fellowship program to support academic work in the humanities and social sciences by young nontenured Scholars who promote the non-politicized study of the Middle East. Finally, spme continues to be instrumental in combating the bds (boycott divestment and sanctions against israel) movement around the world. This movement rejects the existence of israel and its policies, and it represents a form of misguided economic warfare, which is in direct contrast to spme's mission of a peaceful co-existence among israel and its neighbors. Spme has launched a "bds monitor" project to help defeat bds proposals and expose the non-academic nature of the movement and its followers. the bds monitor creates a monthly digest of global bds activities, including a newsletter that includes links to news items, opinions, and analytical pieces, with special attention toward insights from the pro-peace community.